Women contractors empowered at Women in Infrastructure and Built Engagement

On 31 August 2022, to close off Women’s Month, Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers hosted the Women in Infrastructure and Built Environment Engagement. The aim of the engagement was to empower women in this sector with knowledge, information and support available to them to not only grow their businesses, but also enable them to work with government. 
 
Minister Tertuis Simmers commented that “such engagements provide a platform for the aspiring Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises to access pertinent skills and tools to grow and sustain their businesses. I believe the SMMEs will walk away having gained insight into Western Cape Government’s and various partners plans for the infrastructure sector and opportunities available. Through this initiative, together with our partners, we have shown commitment to empowering Women owned businesses. I now implore them to take full advantage of these opportunities. As the Western Cape Government, we continue to build our province and economy through a collaborative and innovative approach.”
 
Female-owned SMME’s in attendance were informed of government’s strategic plans going forward and the many opportunities that will be available for businesses to tap into. The Department of Human Settlements currently has a Contractor’s Framework that is geared towards historically disadvantaged individuals and groups. This Framework makes specific provision for women among the various targeted groups. Female owned built-environment professionals, suppliers, and service providers were encouraged to register with the Department to tap into the various opportunities currently available and still to come.
 
Additional information and tools shared by the Department and its partners included: various contractor development programmes; grants and funding available to SMME’s; contractor grade progression mentorship programmes; skills development programmes; registration with various sector bodies and tender processes. 
 
Ms Mpho Mononela, owner of Iyana Collective, said “I am so grateful for this platform. It was fruitful and so informative for someone like me who is new in the construction business. It was great to hear holistically what support  and funding government across the board has for women. It was great to have everyone under one roof and to see that government has real, genuine efforts to help women in the space, like a one-stop shop.  I was also grateful for the opportunity to network with other women in construction and hear their experiences. I am looking forward to the projects that Minister Simmers mentioned that are coming for women”. 
 
“The demand for housing and infrastructure development in the Western Cape can only be tackled through various partnerships.  We therefore encourage more women to work with our Department. We hope that with today’s engagement, women in this sector are empowered and inspired to grow their businesses and work with our Department. Together, we will then be able to positively impact many more lives in the Western Cape,” concluded Minister Simmers.